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Lyndsey Pender, Overton High School, Memphis, Tennesse

Yazmin Martinez

Yazmin Martinez, a 16-yr-old Louisville native isn’t your average teenager. Martinez is a self-motivated vegetarian; a lifestyle she takes seriously.  “ I became a vegetarian because of animal rights, though the first few weeks were hard.”  Martinez says.

Being a vegetarian is not were the eccentricities end. Martinez has a love for fashion, while still maintaining her individualism.  “I don’t wear jeans. I wear leggings.”

Martinez is a teenager who never leaves home without one thing: her camera. “I like drawing the most, and I go take pictures. I really love art.”

Martinez first got a taste of photography thanks to her dad. She admits that he is her inspiration, and he also provided her with her first point and shoot camera. Martinez says her father gives her tools and skills she appreciates. “ My role model is my dad.”

Some of the information Martinez knows about her camera was self-taught.  Seth Fischer, one of Martinez’ fellow high school students, and also a fellow Xposure Workshop Journalist, was also able to lend information. “Seth helped me a lot.”

Her first pictures were of people for her dad’s film business.  Now Martinez shoots with her two cameras. One is a Nikon D60, and the other a Nikon D90.

Martinez’ photography subjects have changed. Now she photographs red roses, snowy days, and her German Shepherd Osito. “Osito means little bear,” Martinez says.

If she is not drawing, or photographing, Martinez is designing. “I love photoshop,” Martinez says of the Mac designing program.

Martinez plans on attending college after high school, and lists Western Kentucky as one of her options. She plans on majoring in commercial photography, photojournalism, or graphic design.

Martinez plans on traveling to Cataluña, Spain. “The name sounds really unique, she says. Martinez also plans on traveling to Poland and visiting some of the Holocaust Concentration Camps. “Even though it was really tragic, it should never be forgotten.”